Monthly Archives: November 2014

Election 2014 has come and gone, and more than 2.9 million North Carolinians voted. While this number is the highest total of voters to participate in a mid-term election, it fell just in the middle if looking at percentage of registered voters who participated. Just 44% of North Carolinians who were registered to vote actually cast a ballot.

It’s clear that we still have a lot of work to do in order to ensure all North Carolinians have their voices heard. Some parts of the new voting law went into effect this year, creating some confusion for voters who went to the incorrect precincts on Election Day. One of the changes for 2014 was that North Carolinians could no longer cast provisional ballots if they voted out of their precinct.

Voters experienced long waits during the early voting period (October 23 – November 1). The number of early voting days was reduced; however, these sites offered the same number of hours to vote as in previous years. Despite the extend voting hours, North Carolinians still experienced wait times of up to two to three hours in some locations.

Here at the NCLCV Foundation, we are crunching the numbers to help inform our work for 2015 and beyond. This year, we were able to help 15,000 North Carolinians register to vote, and our canvassers knocked on more than 175,000 doors in Mecklenburg, Forsyth, Guilford, Wake, and Harnett counties between October 13 and November 4. We are incredibly proud of all of our team members!

Stay tuned: voter education is a never-ending process. The issues at stake may change, but the need to participate in the democratic process will not. In fact, it will only continue to become more important as fears over dark money and special interests drowning out the voices of constituents grows.

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) – The nation’s most expensive Senate campaign race is down to the wire, with polls opening across North Carolina for the 2014 mid-term election Tuesday morning.

Experts say the Senate race between Kay Hagan, Thom Tillis, and Sean Haugh increased early voter turnout. New numbers show nearly 200,000 more voters cast their ballots before election day compared to the election four years ago.

The candidates are also hoping for a high voter turnout on Tuesday.

On Monday, partisan and non-partisan groups were on the ground going door-to-door handing out leaflets and urging people who haven’t already cast ballots to do so on Election Day.

“We’re just making sure that they’re prepared for when they go to the poll place,” said Monica Massamba, with the non-partisan group North Carolina League of Conservation.

Canvassers believe ground work will get those few extra votes needed to ensure a victory.

“That’s when you actually get to see the constituents, and go to see all the people that are affected by the laws that are being made,” said Massamba.

For Sarona Bedwan, getting people educated about voting is a privilege she takes seriously.

“As a Palestinian, knowing about people trying to prevent you from doing the things that you need to do, it’s motivating,” she said.

Bedwan has been working with the North Carolina League of Conservation voters since September. In the last two months, she’s covered Gastonia, Mooresville, Statesville and Charlotte.

Her group uses tablets to track voters and map their walks. With the thousands of door knocks and steps, Bedwan and her team believe they’re making a difference.